Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Joe Brydon has been engaged in activism of one form or another for as long as they can remember, primarily involved with disarmament and anti-war campaigns, with brief forays into anti-fracking and anti-nuclear escapades. Growing up gay in a very heterosexual world has helped Joe realise the importance of intersectionality in each of these campaigns. They are involved in a number of groups promoting greater understanding of LGBTQ+ issues within other communities and campaigns, such as Bristol Against Pinkwashing, and the Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship. An interest in animal rights developed about two years ago when Joe finally went vegan. Joe is now an active member of the Animal Alliance, a vegan outreach group based in Brighton. Audio podcast, approx. 19 minutes.

Casey Taft, Ph. D., a Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, is an internationally recognized researcher in the areas of trauma and the family, winning prestigious awards for his work in this area. He has published over 100 journal articles, book chapters, and scientific reports, and has consulted with the United Nations on preventing violence and abuse globally. He sees the prevention of violence towards other animals as a natural extension of this work and is also the co-owner of Vegan Publishers.

Jay Shooster, JD, is a Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellow at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at the New York University School of Law, where he serves as an associate editor for Just Security, a leading publication on national security, civil liberties, and human rights law. He holds a law degree from NYU and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Florida. Jay has worked at a host of leading human and animal rights organizations including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Open Society Justice Initiative, and the Nonhuman Rights Project. Currently, he serves on the Direct Action Everywhere legal working group and as an organizer for NYC United for Animals.